


Book of Letters

by gray_autumn_sky



Series: Set in S7 [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQ Prompt Party 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 16:08:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19023349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gray_autumn_sky/pseuds/gray_autumn_sky
Summary: Written for OQ Prompt Part 2019. Prompt #52- LettersHenry gives Regina a gift for her coronation.





	Book of Letters

Regina rolls her neck and stretches out her arms as she makes her way down the stairs, glad to have traded the heavy ball gown she'd worn for most of the day for a comfortable old pair of pajamas. She knows that it's well past midnight and that she should be in bed, but she's not quite ready for that. Her head still swims with memories of the day, her cheeks ache from smiling and her heart is still heavy with appreciation and love.

There's a part of her that thinks it'll all be gone in the morning, that this is all a part of some wonderful dream, too good to be reality-too good to be  _her_ reality.

The Good Queen, she thinks to herself, who'd have ever thought?

Certainly not her.

In all her years as Queen-Evil or otherwise-and in all her years as mayor, she never quite envisioned a day like today, a day where she was chosen and a day when she earned respect. She'd always wanted those things, but never trusted that they could be hers; and now that she had them, it seemed so surreal…

Regina curls up on the couch and stares into the glowing fire, still smiling. This was an almost perfect day.

"Mom?"

She turns to see Henry-her Henry, all grown up-standing at the threshold and somehow looking so much like the little boy she raised. "Hey, you! I didn't know you were still here."

"Lucy fell asleep, so I figured we'd stay the night." A grin pulls onto her lips-she likes the idea of her son and granddaughter sleeping down the hall. "I meant to give this to you earlier," he tells her, smiling as he comes into the room, "but there just wasn't enough of you to go around today."

"It was a busy day, wasn't it?"

Henry nods as he sits down beside her. "And some things are better done in private."

Her eyes narrow as she looks to the metallic purple wrap tied up in a silver bow. "This is going to make me cry, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

She sighs and accepts the gift, drawing in a breath. "It's from me, Lucy, Robyn and Zelena."

Her head tips to the side curiously as she works her fingers underneath the wrap. She looks up momentarily to watch Henry watching her open it-watching eagerly, and a bit impatiently, like he always has-and her heart warms. Some things will never change…

She lifts the lid of the box and pulls back the paper, a smile draws onto her lips as she stares down at a black leather storybook that reads in silver lettering:  _Once Upon a Time: The Story of the Good Queen._

"I know I'm supposedly the Author," Henry tells her, a soft chuckle behind his words. "But you've never really been in control of your own story, so I figured you should get to write this chapter-you should get to write your happy ending."

He grins a bit boyishly as her eyes flood with tears and she lifts the book-and that's when she notices the second gift.

"This one is compliments of Robyn and Lucy," he tells her. Curiously, her head tips as she unrolls the purple tissue paper to reveal a red quill pen. "It has purple ink in it," he tells her. "Your granddaughter insisted."

Thinking of Lucy, she nods. "I'd expect nothing less."

"Robyn talked her out of a glitter pen, so… there's that, at least."

At that, she laughs, nodding her thanks. "I… don't think even I could take myself seriously writing in a purple glitter pen," she admits, laughing. "But this is  _lovely_. Thank you."

"Open the book."

Regina's eyes narrow and she nods, opening the first page. Her breath catches at the sight of a watercolor drawing of her coronation. She's beaming in her crown as Snow and Charming smile and bow, and all around her heads hang in respect. The room practically glows.

"That's Zelena's contribution," he tells her. "There's… also a little surprise that goes along with it."

"A surprise?"

Grinning, Henry nods. "But I'm going to leave it as that, for now."

"Henry, that's not fair," she protests, her eyes widening a little as she looks to him, watching him grin coyly. "You're not allowed to keep secrets from your mother."

Henry's brow arches. "That stopped working when I was eight years old."

She frowns. "It was worth a shot."

Leaning in, Henry kisses her cheek. "Good night, Mom."

"Good night, Henry."

She watches him go up the stairs, sighing wistfully as he disappears from sight-and then, she turns her attention to the book. She thinks of a minute and then lifts the pen, writing down her favorite memories of the day...

The next thing she knows the sun is rising and streaming in through the window. Her eyes flutter open and she looks to the clock, blinking at the realization that morning's come. She must've fallen asleep.

Stretching out her arms, she looks down at the book, still open on her lap-and immediately, her breath catches and tears fill her eyes at the sight of Robin's writing beneath hers.

_My darling, Regina. I am so incredibly proud of you..._

Her eyes press closed after the first line of his letter, forcing her tears down her cheeks. Drawing in a breath, she blinks them back and wipes them away, not wanting them to fall and smear the ink.

_I'm sorry that I missed your day. I was there in spirit, I hope you know…_

Nodding, she rubs her fingers over the text. She knows. She felt him.

She continues to read his letter to her and when she finishes, she reads it again and again-and then, when every last details is memorized, she lifts her pen to write him back. She hesitates for a moment, partially unsure of what to say, partially skeptical that she should say anything at all-and then, she thinks of Henry.

She thinks of Henry, Lucy and Robyn, and she thinks of Zelena. It's safe, she decides. Her family would never intentionally hurt her. It's not a trick; instead, it's a beautiful gift to her-something she's always wanted, but never thought she could have.

_Robin, I can't tell you how glad I am to hear from you, after all these years…_


End file.
